School Induction: Day 1

"To teach is to learn twice over." These are the words of Joseph Joubert. Teaching is a two-way process that not only widens the knowledge horizon of the learners but also of the instructors. One can mould oneself as a great teacher primarily with the realisation that one is ignorant of many things. As a teacher, one should not nurture a parochial mindset but should be willing to learn good things from others, including the students, without giving in to egoism. 

The B.Ed curriculum entails a School Induction programme for the first semester student teachers of all teacher training colleges with the aim of familiarising us with the school environment, teachers' role , administration and teaching-learning process. With respect to the same, myself along with other six student teachers from GCTE, Thycaud, opted Govt GHHS, Peroorkada, and the group included two student teachers from the English Department including myself and Ms. Jessy M,  two from the Department of Natural Science (Ms. Revathy BR and Ms. Kavya Sagar) and three from Hindi Department (Ms. Chinju S Nair, Ms. Gayatri Mahima and Ms. Veena Thankarajan.)

I was assigned the role of team leader for the induction programme at Peroorkada GHSS and I had to prepare the attendance register in advance. The school timing is from 9:30 am till 3:30 pm.  We reached the school by 9:15 am. The classes began in the wake of the morning prayer and the National Pledge. We then met the headmistress of the school, Ms. Pushpa George and handed over the attendance register to her after recording our presence for the morning session. Albeit expecting a cordial welcome, we experienced just the contrary. We were greatly disenchanted by the unfriendly attitude of the teachers and the headmistress towards us. We had to repeatedly request for admitting us to observe any two classes handled by the school teachers, which comes as a compulsory part of the programme. The teachers did not give any responsible responses for the same and treated us with disdain. Since it was the school reopening day after the Christmas vacation, the teachers were busy distributing the Christmas exam answer sheets and discussing the question papers, and therefore were not handling classes for a week. They even blamed the concerned authorities of GCTE for sending us there for the induction programme at this time of the year, particularly because the school was teemed with the teacher trainees from St. Thomas B.Ed training college, who were already engaging the classes for their teaching-practice programme. 

When we requested the English teacher of the school, Ms. Kavitha for alloting portions from the English Reader for handling the  shared classes, we were enjoined to meet the teacher trainees from St.Thomas college and to implore them for the classes, which we felt very insulting.

We went on to collect data regarding various club activities of the school by interacting with the students of Class IX. We entered the aforesaid class on our own accord during a free hour and during the recess time and gathered information from them regarding the functioning of the school and regarding the club activities, since the staff room was almost empty and the teachers were non-cooperative. We also learnt from the students about the breakfast and midday meal programmes in the school.

During the lunch break, students played badminton and carrom in the school auditorium. After the lunch break, we approached St. Thomas college's teacher trainee Ms. Arya of English Department  and she agreed to lend one hour the next day for taking a shared class on the lesson " The Happiness Machine " from Std IX English Reader. Later, myself and Jessy discussed and prepared the lesson plan for the sThen we met Ms. Bindu Sivadas, the Principal of the school, conversed with her for some time and attained permission for capturing pictures with her and also of the school premises. Her attitude was friendly and her smile was our solace on the first day of the programme.  At 3:30pm, the classes wound up after the rendition of the national anthem. We too left the school after recording our presence in the attendance register for the afternoon session. We went back home with mixed feelings for having opted this school for the induction programme.